Tapping bits?

[John Burton]

what is the differance between the 15 dollar tapping bit at bascoms and the 6 dollar jobber bit you can get through graingers?

[themapleking]

A lot of your wood drilling bits will plug up when drilling trees, and they don't make a clean smooth cut all of the way through.

[syrupmaker]

Joe....Isn't the tree wood? Or did you mean the steel bits? :wink:

Rick

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

The Tin coated tapping bits are the same ones Bascom's gets from grainger. I've wound them up plenty of times on the price they charge thats for sure. A 19/64" Tin Force 5 bit through Grainger part# 2br61 is like $5.92 and Bascom's charges $15. Money makes the world go around.

[brookledge]

Maple trees have sweet gold in them that is why you can't use a wood bit when drilling a maple tree. Maybe that is what Joe was refering too
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Here's the difference between a $ 5 titanium bit and a $ 20 bit from Bascoms. They started carrying the specially designed cordless drill bits from Canada and I liked the looks of them, so I decided to invest in one and I bought a 19/64". Since then, my craftsman drill went bad and my wife bought me an 18 volt Hitachi from Lowes for Christmas. They were running a special if you bought the drill, you could send in a mail in rebate and get a 3rd battery for free. Better yet, they dropped the price from $ 149 to $ 99. Hard to pass up a deal on that on an extremely high quality drill with a 5 YEAR warranty.

Needless to say, the combination was second to none. I tapped around 150 taps on one battery and it took about 2 to 3 seconds to drill a hole. They bit was awesome to say the least. It was in and then out and it cut a very smooth and round hole and if you pull the drill out with it still cutting, the hole is extremely clean. For any of you looking to invest in a tapping setup for this season, for $ 120 + any tax, you can't do any better than that in my opinion. I have bought expensive tapping bits before and every other kind of bit made, and this bit was awesome. The drill is very small and compact and lightweight. I bought a canvas cordless drill holster and it worked out awesome also. In the tree, out, drill in holster and drive in the spout. Of actual tapping time of all the trees I did today, I averaged around 40 seconds per tap including travel time from tap to tap! :D :D :D

[sweetwoodmaple]

Brandon - is this what you are talking about?

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1291706

I've seen these but never tried them to see if they hold up to their claims.

Brian

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Brian,

It is not close to that. Sorta looks like a cross between a wood/steel bit and a masonary bit. There is a picture in the bascom catalog but not online. :D

[powerdub]

I have to echo what Brandon is saying. The $20 bit is great. You can tell the difference.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Last year I used a 19.2 volt heavy duty Craftsman drill with new batteries and the most taps I could get was 75 to 80 which is about 1/2 this year. I think the biggest factor was the drill bit even though I was using a brand new titanium bit last year. The Hitachi is a lot more compact and lighter and it is so easy to drill with right or left hand without rouding out the hole with the bit! :D

[markcasper]

Guys--I took a pic a few weeks ago of a bit I got a few years ago from my dealer. This is no ordinary bit and the looks give it away. Brandon-maybe its the same bit as yours. This one drills a day and night difference better than anything I have ever used.

The rest of the story--has anyone seen advertised on T.V. something called the drill doctor? Well I got sucked into the infomercial a few weeks ago and ended up ordering it. They went into detail about how it worked and is guaranteed to get bits sharper than anything that has ever came along. It cost around 110 dollars, so it better do what they say. I just basically buy a new bit every year and figured that in 10 years time, that money spent on bits could buy this thing. And thats not including all the dull bits around the farm and shop that can now be sharpened.

I should be recieving it soon.

Mark

[mountainvan]

I use the 5/16 irwen auger bit and 19.2 craftsman drill. did 300 taps on two batteries. with a brad point bit I do less. this year I'll bring in the woods the 19.2, two 18's, and a 24 black and decker( cheap at lowes after christmas). used to use bleach to sanitize holes, but trying alcohol this year. will start tapping Tomorrow!!!

[maple flats]

Mark, i am on my 2nd Drill Doctor, I used one I had but the diamond wheel was not replaceable. Then I bought the next model up and on this you can replace the diamond wheel. The first was a 250 the second was a 500 model. They do really sharpen bits real well, sometimes better than new (but this relates only to low quality bits) I have sharpened hundreds of bits with these. The 250 was getting a little worn and I gave it to my son because he had nothing, and I bought the 500. The 250 can be sent back and I believe for 1/2 the price of new they would put a new wheel in and check it out.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

COWBOY UP!!!! Before you go and order the $20 here they are at a much better price. The only exception to the ones from Bascom's is that there getting them from a company in Canada that sharpens the inside of the cutters edge to make it a little easier to cut with?. And the price/Compared to Bascom's= 8O 8O 8O 8O

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMAKA=81140196

Looking through the MSC Catalog a couple years ago i thought this would be a decent bit? Humm last year bascom's started carrying them so i got a couple from MSC-They work pretty cherry...

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

If you have 7/16" spouts the part # for the same style bit is= 81140287

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Just think-Researching things/rather then sitting back on the mapletrader you'll pick up things like this a little quicker-Maybe? Unless someone post some info for you.

I think i will sign off from the mapletrader for the final time-Hope all your sugaring seasons are good ones and learn all that you can as it will be for your benefit in the log run-Don't jump to conclusions on things think them over and figure it out if it should be that way or not? It was nice chatting with all of you-i'll see you sometime in the future?? If you need to get a hold of me you know how-PM me and i will get back with you or my tele# is in the book.

Good Luck to all,
Kevin

[markcasper]

Kevin, The bit you have listed is the one I have and is AWESOME!!!! :D

By far the best bit that I have ever sank into a tree! Whoever wrote in about the Irwin bit. I used to use them years ago, but they always left a sliver of wood at the beginning of the taphole and always was disgusted with that. Sometimes the sliver was so big that it worked like a wedge in between the spile and hole and often would result in excessive sap loss due to a poor spile to hole contact. Mark

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Might be cheaper and I might pick up a couple in the future, but I don't regret spending a penny of the $20. This link wouldn't haven't come up if I hadn't brought up this old post. :D

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Just like a internet nit-wit junkie/gotta get my fix :?: Had to sign on.. Can someone please tell me if i'm getting too old and going senile?? Is say $4.25 cheaper than $20 or not or is it Might be :?: And who started this link :?: Was it John Burton or not?

I think that brandon is trying to get to my head or something... :twisted:

Maybe he was talking about the link i posted to the MSC website? AND if it wasn't for my :idea: .

Ok cowboy up- giddy on to another problem and figure that out :arrow:

Holy cockerdooly signed on and 13 boxes were yellow for messages that were responded to since yesterday.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Mark- I have always used the Irwin bit for 7/16 and that a cherry drill to. Knowing what your talking about i caught myself a few time before pushing on the drill bit while it was drilling into the sap wood/Big mistake like you said you have a sliver of wood at the holes edge.

Now if you let the drill bit do the work instead of pushing on it the little auger tip will pull it into the wood fibers the speed it wants and NO Sliver at the beginning of the sap wood. Try it on a tree and see what was done wrong... :?:

[MASSEY JACK]

Hey Kevin, I hope you keep signing on to this site.....you 're the funniest sapperdoodle on this thing :D :D Makes for some good readin.... and you obviously know a whole lot more about this stuff than I do.

[mountainvan]

I wrote bout the irwen bit. it does leave a sliver if you push to hard as mentioned. I have a piece of 1/2" copper on the bit as a stop. goes in 2" reams out the shavings and is alot easier to pull out.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Massey Jack- Did you get your VT quality control manual yet?

[markcasper]

Kevin, I don't know about pushing on it hard, never thought I did. Remeber the old ATOM attachment for chainsaws. Well, thats what I used to use years ago and maybe that was some of the problem. When I bought the tanaka, I just used a fleet farm special bit and now that I got the DRILL DOCTOR, I won't be buying anymore bits.

The Irwin cut nice and clean, except for that &#@&*^$# sliver at the beginning. Mark

[Dave Y]

Kevin,
Had a MSC big book at my finger tips just to dumb to look in it. I ordered four of the bits. They sould be here today. Thanks for the info. Hey that sap refractometer I got from you last May works great. I tested the four trees I have In my yard, 3 are 2.8 and 1 is 2.4. It will be very will be very helpful in weeding out the week sap trees. Thanks

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Mark- Yea those chain saw tapper were a trick to use? It's the operator/not the tool.(Never tryed one myself)/Seen some use em' though. Seems as though you have to have the RPM's up and barely bump the bark of the tree and then when it started drilling you pushed in to the depth you wanted. Had to be steady or you had an oval hole.

Probably after you drilled a couple thousands taps with it in your lifetime you knew all the tricks for drilling a nice hole every time?

[lew]

Yeah, those chainsaw tappers were fast. You had to be careful with everything you did with one of those. From having solid footing so you didn't slip to making sure the drill was positioned the way you wanted before you even got close to the tree. But once you got used to them, you could make a hole in half a second (or less). Just wind up the saw and push against the tree. You couldn't hardly feel any resistance when you pushed the bit in. It was just a quick in and out. The only thing I didn't like about them was that you held the saw sideways, and that was uncomfortable.

[MASSEY JACK]

Kevin, yes I got the Vermont guide and have read most of it. They seem to recommend using bleach often and rinsing even more. All of the bigger producers that I know around here don't use anything but water any more. They don't like squirrel chews or want to risk off flavors i'm told. I recognized the guidebook. My Dad gave me an old one a few years ago. Thanks for the info and the prodding. It is a good little book to have.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Also much more dangerous 8O

[maplehound]

Well I tried one of those $2o bits today. Wish I had left it at the dealers though. It kept pulling in to deep and stalling my drill out. Atfter about 150 taps I broke it off in the tree. Now how can I get it out? It is recesed back in about 1/4" and the sap is pouring out around it. :evil: Good thing I had another regular bit along and used that to finish tapping.
Ron

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Ron,

I hate that for you but I don't know how it could have been the same bit I bought. There are a lot of $ 20 bits out there that aren't worth $ 2.00. 8O I got mine from Bascoms. :?

[brookledge]

I had a drill break off more than once most of the time from slipping while the drill was in the tree. I have been able to usually get it out by using needle nose vise grips and then pliers on the needle nose to turn out.
That was on 7/16 so you have alittle more room. I have never broke a 19/64 yet. If you can't back it out then leave it as you will probably do more damage to the tree trying to get it out.
Keith

[maple flats]

You should be able to get it out, try as many methods as it takes. I say this as a sawyer. The short piece if bit in the tree could not only damage the saw blade for a sawyer however many years down the road but it could also become a projectile and might even hit a future generation of yours at that time. The tree is important but the potential safety risk in my opinion out weighs the tree's slight damage risk. An otherways healthy tree will heal from any unusual damage getting the bit out, the eventual human health risk should take 1st preference.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

In all the years I have been tapping, I have never broken a bit. 8O Just don't see how it could be done unless it was a faulty bit or you were not holding the drill steady and maybe forcing the bit. 8O

[markcasper]

I broke 2 bits last november trying to get into my locked house. They were larger than 7/16", used the tapper to try and drill through the deadbolt from the outside. Wife was 120 miles away and the only keys were the ones in the house. I snapped both of them off licketdy split, then had to result to a wrecking bar and then a new door. Mark

[brookledge]

Maple flats
I'm assuming that you mean the drill can become a projectile when a saw hits it in a mill. Otherwise I don't see how it could. The reason I said to leave it in was because alot of my trees are roadside and or fence line trees with alot of who knows what in them. I would also think that if a maple that has been tapped you would not want that part of the tree for lumber anyways.
Keith

[maplehound]

I would like to get it out sometime. The bit is ressed into the tree to far to grab with a pliers so I would have to cut around it some more. zi will probably wait till after the season is oveer so it doesn't bleed out to much. I shore don't like it when I see others nailing into trees or leaving bolts in them and I don't want other to see me do it either. Some day this woods might be timbered and I know what it could mean to the sawmill to find it in there the hard way.
Ron

[maple flats]

Yes I mean if a saw hit it. I check for metal with a detector when I saw but some don't and sometimes it is missed. A detector can miss if you get into a log that has staining from other metal and the detector does not properly find a solid and reads the stain. I have hit metal sawing when staining is present. I try to avoid it but _hit happens. I just think a known piece of metal should be gotten out as a matter of conscience. Especially a bit which is hardened and does not react the same as an old tin spile would or even as a fence wire would. They all damage a saw blade but the hardened one very often shatters and sprays the pieces which can hit multiple targets. The blade can be replaced or in my type repaired but the people may not fair so well. I personally would chissel away as little as possible but the bit would be removed, most trees will recover. I do however agree that after the sap season is OK but be sure not to forget.

[maplehound]

Thanks maple flats, I will get it out after the season.

[ibby458]

Did you get that bit out, and how? I haven't broken one yet, but it's only a matter of time, and I'd sure like to get it out if it does.

[royalmaple]

Maybe you can tap the bit that is left and use and easy out?

But there might not be enough "meat" in the bit left to get the easy out attached.

[JohnM]

So I am gettiing ready to send in my Jackson for a new tapping bit from Bascoms. My question is: what is the deal with the 1/64th difference between two of the bits?

I have the 5/16 ecolo spouts. Which bit should I order???

Thanks!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

John,

I use the 19/64" bit with 5/16" spouts as the spouts don't go in quite as far and seem to get a better fit. Might help just a touch on a slightly rounded hole too.

[Fred Henderson]

I find it hard to beleive that 1/64 of an inch makes that much differenence. Geeeeee what is this a course in machine shop. The next thing you know is that all spiles will have a depth set to 50 thousands of an inch.

[brookledge]

IPL health spouts came out and were 19/64 then leader and all the others came out with 5/16
Keith

[royalmaple]

I agree with brandon, I have the 5/16 tapping bit and the 19/64 tapping bit and even though you would not think it would matter, the 19/64 tapping bit does seat the taps better.

[powerdub]

I broke one of those Bascom bits last year but was able to get it out of the tree. I guess I was the first because when I brought it back they had never seen it before. The darn thing was not acting in any strange way. I was really digging the way it drilled as a matter of fact. I got to my depth and snap, thats all she wrote. They gave me new one for free.

[JohnM]

Thanks for the replies. I used a standard 19/64 drill last year and got some leakers. Trying to get a little rounder hole.